Georgia captain given 11-year ban over urine-swap scandal
- 355
Former Georgia captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from sport for 11 years for his part in a secret scheme which helped national team players cheat anti-doping tests.
Picture-Merab Sharikadze
Following the most extensive anti-doping investigation ever undertaken in rugby, World Rugby can confirm six members of the Georgia senior men’s 15s team and a member of support personnel have been sanctioned for involvement in urine sample substitution over an extended period prior to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2023. Sample substitution (“tampering or attempted tampering”) is a practice prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code and World Rugby Anti-Doping Regulation 21.
Anti-Doping Rule Violation Sanctions have been imposed against players Giorgi Chkoidze (six years), Lasha Khmaladze (three years), Merab Sharikadze (11 years), Miriani Modebadze (three years), Otar Lashkhi (three years), Lasha Lomidze (9 months), and Dr Nutsa Shamatava (nine years). These suspensions are backdated to include the provisional suspensions issued to all individuals upon charge and result in a complete suspension from all rugby activities.
Picture-Giorgi Chkoidze
Picture-Otar Lashkhi
Merab Sharikadze (Former captain)
-11 years
Nutsa Shamatava (Doctor)
-9 years
Giorgi Chkoidze (player)
-6 years
Lasha Khmaladza (Player)
-3 years
Otar Lashkhi (Player)
-3 years
Miriani Modebadze (Player)
-3 years
Lasha Lomidze (player)
-9 months
